Sanctified
by MissVivianDarkbloom
Summary: The mouth of hell is about to open in Mystic Falls. An unknown evil, the kind of which its residents has never faced before, is tethering on the precipice- almost ready to emerge. When the Slayer is sent to save the day (again), she is met with resistance from the townspeople. Will everyone be able to put aside their differences to prevent all out holy war?
1. Chapter 1

"Did you forget to put on your hero hair today, brother? Usually it's _you_ who insists on saving little red and grandma from the big bad wolf."  
Stefan's nostrils flared as he exhaled audibly. "I'm not saying we do nothing, Damon. I'm glad we found the little girl and her grandmother alive. But we were lucky- there wasn't a bite on either of them, which means these vampires aren't the usual run of the mill feeders. It could have been a trap, and we walked right into it. If they're up to something else, we need to find out more before we run in and get everybody killed."

"Stefan is right, Damon," Alaric spoke up from behind his desk. His relaxed posture as he sat back in his chair was completely juxtaposed to the dire scenario they were discussing. "There is no point rushing into a situation we know nothing about just because you're bored and looking for a fight."  
"Has anyone considered that maybe I just want to prevent this from happening to other innocent townsfolk?" The older Salvatore brother feigned offence, throwing up his hands in faux exasperation.  
The other two men rolled their eyes.

Without warning, the classroom door swung open as they all quickly dropped their tense facial expressions to adopt ones of a concerned student, older brother and teacher.  
"Oh, it's only you," Damon muttered as Bonnie rushed into the room, shutting the door behind her.  
"Nice to see you too, Damon!" She spat back, catching her breath.  
Stefan's brows furrowed as he studied the Bennet witch's dishevelled appearance. "What's wrong?"  
She wiped her hair off her face, leaning her back against the door as she tried to calm herself. "I just found out what they want."  
Both brothers spoke in unison, one voice less patient than the other: "What?"  
Bonnie inhaled deeply. "Me."

* * *

Damon poked mindlessly at the logs in the fireplace, watching the flames engulf and grow. The Salvatore residence was once again the meeting place to discuss town catastrophes of the supernatural variety. Alaric, Stefan, Bonnie and Caroline were scattered across the living room.

The heaviness in the air was lifted as Elena opened the door, the icy breeze which travelled in with her broke everyone from their own vacancies. Concern was etched across her features. "Bonnie, are you okay?! Did they hurt you?! What happened?!"  
Caroline interjected before Bonnie could answer. "She's fine, just freaked. They had Andrew go after her."  
Elena looked confused which prompted Caroline to continue. "Andrew from the football team. Big guy. He sometimes asks Bonnie for help with his chemistry homework. They did the mind control thingy and got him to lure her over to his car before trying to grab her and throw her in. She had to use her magic on him- the witch kind, not the flirtatious kind."  
Sarcasm flew out through Bonnie's lips. "Thanks, Caroline… Andrew's okay. Damon compelled him to forget and Stefan vervain'd him."

Elena's confusion and worry remained evident as she moved her gaze to the brothers and Alaric. "Why Bonnie?"  
"They probably need a witch. Or a flirtatious brunette," Damon smirked, glancing over at an irked Bonnie.  
"Bite me."  
He wrinkled his nose. "No thanks. Witches' blood is my least favourite meal- excluding werewolves."  
"Damon." Alaric chastised.

Caroline piped up. "But I don't get it."  
"Well there's a surprise."  
It was Elena who snapped at Damon this time.  
Caroline continued thinking aloud unfazed. "If they want Bonnie, why kidnap a little girl and her grandmother? Are they witches too?"  
Alaric shook his head. "They were testing us."  
All of their curious gazes shot to Alaric.  
"Well, testing Bonnie. The locator spell you used to find them, they wanted to make sure you could do it and they know we're all working together. When Damon and Stefan showed up outside the old factory, they knew Bonnie's spell is the reason we found them so fast. They must have been watching us."  
Stefan mused aloud. "So once they knew you were capable, they sent someone after you in the daylight when we least expected it."  
"So they want her to find something for them?" Caroline asked, much to the surprise of those around her.  
"Exactly." Alaric opened an old leather-bound book, now mostly speaking to himself. "And soon. They're moving fast, panicked. Maybe it's correlating with the upcoming comet..."

Elena settled on the seat beside Bonnie. "Did the old lady or little girl remember anything that would help us figure out who they are?"  
"Their memory was wiped," Stefan spoke, his voice sounding distant as his mind was as consumed as Alaric's.  
"So we use Bonnie as bait."  
"Damon-"  
He interrupted Elena. "Enticing them out is the only way to get them."  
Caroline rolled her eyes. "Except they didn't do it themselves last time. They just sent Andrew." After a few seconds, her eyes lit up, almost as though a light bulb switched on within her skull. "Oh! What about a locator spell? Use what they want against them!"  
"I'd need something personal of theirs to even try."  
Elena gave her friend a small, reassuring smile. "Bonnie, don't worry. We'll figure this out- without putting you at risk. You can stay at mine in the meantime."

Alaric looked up from his book at the Salvatore brothers. "One of you will have to stay with them."  
"I ain't babysitting-".  
Stefan quickly interjected his brother. "I will."  
Alaric continued. "I'll do some digging and see if I can figure out if there are any mystic events coming up that might be prompting all of this."  
"And I'll ask my mom if anything weird has been going on in town lately." Caroline stood up, determined.  
Damon poured himself a glass of bourbon. "And I'll sit back and relax until you all come to your senses and do things my way."

* * *

"Where on earth is Mystic Falls? And why would they give a place such an obvious name? Did all the supernatural baddies come together and decide 'ooh let's make this our stomping ground since no one let us officially name Sunnydale the Hellmouth'?"  
"Buffy, you need to take this seriously. We could be facing-"  
"I know: another apocalypse yada yada."  
Giles removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Admittedly we've been fortunate so far but one lapse in concentration, one small misstep is all it takes to-"  
"Die? Been there, remember? I don't plan on going back. Trust me, Giles, I am in full slayer mode. It's just... I was finally caught up on my classes and had mom off my back and now you're telling me I need to leave town."

The Watcher's voice grew more exasperated. "Your grades are the least of our worries if these succeed in acquiring a witch for their plans. Which is why-" He turned to Buffy's friends, who were faithfully sitting beside her. Stacks of books from Giles' personal collection were scattered on the table in front of them. "Willow, no spells of any kind. No practising, no visiting magic shops. Especially when we get to Virginia."  
The red head made no effort to hide her disappointment.

After a moment, Xander closed a book emphatically and perked up in his seat. "Cool, road trip. And all my teachers said I'd never make it out of Sunnydale".  
The slayer sighed. "I'll go break the news to mom and gather up my weapons. When are we leaving?"  
Giles began stacking his books into a large cardboard box. "Preferably yesterday."  
Xander and the others stood up to leave. "I don't know what to pack. What does one wear to the end of the world?"  
Willow grinned. "Maybe something dark and ominous would be fitting, like that heavy metal band shirt you own? The one with all the skulls on it."

Giles shook his head as the library doors swung closed behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

The horizon swallowed up the sun, its orange and pink hues which once painted the sky now dissipating as darkness cascaded upon Mystic Falls. The inhabitants of the apparent picturesque town grew quiet, streets becoming vacant as overhead lamps began illuminating the now empty streets. In these late hours, it was only the Mystic Grill that seemed alive. Patrons scattered themselves around dining tables and bar stools, most conversing the events of their day over cuisine or nursing potent beverages while ruminating at the bar. The town was a tight knit community- each baring familiar faces to one another. As such, when a tourist was passing through, it was immediately evident.

Rupert Giles and the three teens felt the town's gazes as they strolled into the local restaurant. The flight and long drive they just experienced in the last 24 hours had left them weary and famished. Spotting the Grill from their rental car on their drive into town had at the time seemed fortunate; now they weren't so sure.

"Is there something on my face?" Willow whispered anxiously to the others, subtly glancing around.  
"I think it's on mine too." Xander quite audibly gulped as he followed Giles to an empty table in the corner.  
Upon taking their seats, Buffy leaned forward on the table and whispered conspiratorially. "They have their pitchforks on standby."  
Giles appeared on edge by the other patrons' stares but chastised the others nonetheless. "This is quite a small town. They are most likely curious as to who we are and why we're here. Do try to be polite."  
Xander glanced around the Grill before looking back at Giles. "Not the hero welcome I expected. Seein' as we're here to save the day I expected a parade. Or at least some balloons and pointy party hats."

Their conversation was cut short as a relaxed, somewhat fatigued looking man approached their table.  
"Hi, my name's Matt and I'll be your server today." He handed them menus with a friendly smile and explained the day's specials before leaving again.  
After a moment of silence, Xander spoke. "At least we have the only normal person here serving us."  
They each surveyed the menus, deciding their orders as they overheard a poorly whispered argument by the bar. Buffy and Giles strategically glanced over the menus and past Willow and Xander to watch the commotion. Meanwhile, the younger male at the table behaved less inconspicuously, rotating his torso to look directly at the spectacle.  
In what the four assumed was just immature relationship drama made public, they overhead their server loudly whisper to a blonde female. "You can't! You'll get me fired!"  
His female companion waved away his complaints as she grabbed an apron from behind the bar and put it on.

Within seconds she approached their table.  
"Hi! I'm Caroline and I'll be your waitress today. Are you ready to order?"  
The four exchanged confused glances and did not get a word out before the woman spoke again.  
"So where are you all from?"  
Giles smiled politely at the young woman, commandeering the conversation before Xander could. "We're visiting from California. It's a school trip of sorts, these are history students of mine and we've heard this town has a rich heritage so we decided to visit and see for ourselves."  
Buffy shot Giles a look. _Of all subjects._

Willow nervously jumped in. "Yeah, the entire history dating back to its founders is so interesting. I'm glad we get to do our project on here."  
Caroline tilted her head to one side, squinting at them as her eyes filled with suspicion. "But you sound British."  
Rupert nodded. "Born and raised in the United Kingdom. I moved here a number of years ago when I was offered a position in their history department."  
Buffy gesticulated in his direction. "Best teacher we ever had. History is so boring- learning from books, I mean. He always tries to bring it to life."  
"He even reenacts important moments in history with costume theatre." Xander grinned, seemingly proud of his contribution to their cover story.

"Okay... So how long are you in town for? Where are you guys staying?" Caroline continued her line of questioning.  
"We've been fortunate enough to rent a charming house on Hallow Street, just a five minute drive from the town's square." Giles adjusted his glasses. "Do you have any recommendations of places to visit while we're here? Or perhaps know of a local guide who could give us a tour?"  
The suspicion in the blonde's eyes abated as she began to appear bored. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe ask a member of the historical society or our history teacher, Mr Saltzman."  
Xander perked up. "Great idea! You know, with the local history teacher. Maybe I- we can get your number and we could get in touch to organise a meeting-"  
Caroline rolled her eyes. "It'd be easier to call the school."  
"Right, of course. Another good idea." He slunk back down in his seat, attempting to appear nonchalant in the face of rejection as he fiddled with his menu.

Buffy gave Xander a quick look of sympathy before moving her gaze back to her Watcher, her eyes pleading.  
"I'd say everyone is ready to order now." Giles looked pointedly between the others and their menus.  
The self-proclaimed waitress looked surprised. "Actually... I'm finished my shift now! I'll go get Matt."  
With that, she turned and stalked away. Willow glanced behind her and watched as she removed the apron and spoke briefly to Matt before pulling out her cellphone and appearing disinterested again.

Matt quickly returned to their table, notepad in hand. "Sorry about that. She's uh... Not our best employee. Can't get good help nowadays, huh?" He awkwardly laughed.  
The others exchanged confused glances before making their order.  
As he strode to the kitchen, Buffy murmured, "What the hell was that about?"  
Willow shrugged, Giles looked perplexed and Xander appeared wounded.  
"She probably already has a boyfriend and just didn't want to seem mean."  
The two girls gave their friend an encouraging smile, attempting to preserve what's left of his ego.  
The older male simply sighed and shook his head. "Let's just have this meal and get to the house. We still have a tremendous amount of research to do."

* * *

"You what?!" Elena and Bonnie bore incredulous expressions as they listened to their friend.  
"I interrogated the only new people to appear in town recently and I think they're clean. The old guy seemed really old- like hundreds of years and immortal kind of old- but he's just British. They seem too normal and boring to be involved."  
The 3 women were sitting in the Gilbert's kitchen while Stefan Salvatore leaned against the door-frame.  
"You can't just do that, Car'. You can't play twenty-one questions with people in town." Elena's astonishment was plainly evident in her voice.  
"Well do _you_ have any better ideas?"

Stefan took a step into the room, attempting to calm the situation. "Caroline, I understand you want to do whatever you can to help- but you shouldn't put yourself in harm's way. Even if they were the ones behind all of this, your questions would surely tip them off and put you in danger. And if they are not, you just made some tourists feel incredibly unwelcome."  
Caroline petulantly sat back and folded her arms across her chest. "So unless I have witch powers, fangs or am dating a vampire, I can't help my friends?"  
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You know that's not what we're saying."  
The blonde snapped, "Isn't it?! Every time something like this happens, you guys act like I'm not here. Like it doesn't affect me. 'Oh Caroline is too stupid and selfish and shallow to help.' Well you know what? Fine. Don't accept my help. I'm done trying." Gathering her things, the sheriff's daughter packed her belongings into her handbag and headed for the front door.

Despite pleas to stay, Caroline walked outside and straight to her car, her knuckles white from her tight grip on her keys. The cold, crisp night air against her exposed face and arms had no effect on the anger and frustration burning inside her.  
Without any warning, a dark figure appeared from amongst the shadows in her peripheral vision as she unlocked her car.  
With a jump, she yelled, "Do _not_ come any closer or else!"

"Very threatening, Blondie." A familiar face, with an even more familiar smirk, stepped into vision.  
"Damon! Don't sneak up on me like that!" She continued opening her car door and sat inside, slamming the door behind her.  
In quick, fluid movements the older Salvatore brother was in the passenger seat beside her.  
Caroline let out a frustrated groan before turning to face him. "What do you want?!"  
"How has the 'sit back and do nothing' method been working out?" Despite his obvious enquiry, Damon acted disinterested, glancing out the window into the night.  
"Well FYI I haven't been doing nothing. I did something and now I'm being condescended for it." She turned the key in the ignition and started up the engine. "Can you get out now? I'm not in the mood for... _You_."

Ignoring her obvious aversion to his presence, he continued. "What did you do?"  
She was silent for a moment, deliberating whether to tell him or not. However, the need to vent her frustrations won out. "I tried to help and as usual no one appreciated it. New people showed up at the Grill and I just asked them a few questions to see if they have anything to do with the kidnapping and Bonnie-attacking thing. To see if they were suspicious. But no, apparently I can't handle something as small as asking strangers questions." Her words came out frantically, all within one breath.  
Damon scoffed, his eyebrow perking up. "And what do you think of the new arrivals?"  
She rolled her eyes. "They're boring. Here from California on a history trip or something. Asked me to recommend a tour guide."  
"Who comes all the way to Mystic Falls for a history lesson?"  
"Freaks? I don't know. Either way, they seemed human."

Damon looked out the window pensively before glancing back over at Caroline, a smile creeping across his face. "Want to team up and actually do something helpful?"  
She scowled. "With you? No thanks."  
"Suit yourself." He stepped out of her car, leaning down to speak again. "Enjoy wallowing over being excluded from their inner circle."  
As he went to close the door, Caroline shouted. "Wait!"  
The older Salvatore brother hovered expectantly.  
"Do you have a plan?"  
After he settled back in the passenger seat, Damon gestured to the road. "Let's go have some fun with the newcomers."  
"Before we go, you know I'm vervain'd right? Don't try pull any of your crap."  
"Oh Care-bear, like you didn't enjoy it when I told you what to do." A crooked smile appeared on his face as he waggled his eyebrows.  
Caroline turned out onto the road, her face stern. "Try anything and you can figure out where they are staying yourself."

After a few minutes of driving through town, Caroline squealed and pointed out the window. "Wait that's her!"  
Damon recoiled, covering his ears before following her line of sight. "That's who? New girl on the cheerleading squad? Don't worry, she's only slightly prettier than you."  
She pulled over and gave him an icy look. "No, you ass. It's one of the students from earlier. Why is she going into the cemetery? Goth much?"  
With one eyebrow quirked, Damon watched as a short, blonde teenager climbed over the ten-foot wall and started strolling along the grave sites, her eyes searching.  
Waiting to ensure she was out of range of hearing, the vampire quietly opened the car door. "You wait here." He interrupted Caroline as she began to protest, giving her a seemingly important but ultimately inconsequential task to do so he can be left in peace. "I need you to keep an eye out and text me if the others you saw earlier show up."

* * *

Lurking in the shadows, staying out of sight, Damon stalked the agile teenager who appeared to have a morbid fascination with death. His gaze followed her as she fearlessly walked between tombstones, each step she took matched by a silent one of his. His eyes saw every movement, every bend in each blade of grass she stepped on, despite the absolute darkness that shrouded the cemetery. There were no lights nearby and the moon was hidden behind clouds far above the overhanging branches of the looming trees. She shouldn't be so comfortable here at night. She shouldn't be able to meander around tombstones and rocks and the uneven ground without missing a step. No human would be capable of such a feat in this unforgiving nightfall. Yet human she was, as Damon heard the steady beat of her heart, watched the rhythmic pulsation along the curve of her neck. His eyes settled on her throat, the predator in him imagining tasting her. Snatch, eat, erase. After all, he was the reason girls like her shouldn't be alone at night.

A bustling of leaves disturbed his reverie. Before his eyes even caught up with the source of the noise, the girl turned to face the dark figure emerging from behind the trees.  
"You shouldn't be out here alone, Girly."

Damon internally debated stepping in to stop the heavily built, well-over-6-foot-tall, obviously freshly-turned vampire from attacking the teenager. His reasons for considering it, however, were motivated by nefarious intentions.

"You should be more worried about yourself, big guy." The girl appeared unperturbed as the youthful vampire advanced towards her, blood vessels dilating beneath his now reddening eyes.  
"You know, I was told not to stop for a snack, but I think I'll make an exception for you."  
The blonde tilted her head, amusement evident in her eyes. "So I guess this is the part where you expect me to scream and run? Trust me, I'm quaking in my designer boots." She leaned against an adjacent headstone nonchalantly. "Before we get into this whole dance, I'm going to give you a chance to voluntarily tell me who gives you your orders?"  
The towering vampire continued his slow advance, hoping to strike fear in his victim. "Believe me, sweetheart, it's someone you'd never want to meet. Don't worry, I'll make your death a lot less painful than they would."

Damon watched the curious scene unfolding before him, staying out of the way as the newbie vampire and his petite prey engaged in an unusual exchange.

The teen shook her head in disbelief. "Why are the new ones always so cocky? You'd think there'd be an adjustment period but nope, you guys hop out the grave with zero common sense."  
The vamp seemed irritated and sped up his advance towards her. "You're going to regret that."  
The blonde looked into the distance, feigning thoughtfulness. "Strangely enough, I never do."

With that, the vampire lunged at her, arms swung out to grab her in a bear-like grip. The teen quickly rolled out of his path, however, and grabbed him immediately after he collided with the headstone.  
"Y'know, for once I wish you guys would learn some respect." With little effort, she tossed him a few feet across the graveyard, watching as his back bounced off the wall, cracking some of the bricks as fragments fell to the ground. "I know, new town. But still, you'd think word would get out and some of you would start cowering in fear. Make a run for it. Yet time and time again you make the same old plays and end up in ashes. Do your sires teach you nothing?"

A growl rumbled up into his throat as he jumped to his feet. Running towards her, he dodged a kick and grabbed her leg, using it to throw her across the grass and into another tombstone.  
Slightly out of breath but otherwise unfazed, the teen bounced back up onto her feet, rolling her shoulders back. She reached inside her black leather jacket and pulled out a piece of wood, one that had been clearly sharpened into a lethal weapon. "Last chance to give me names and locations of your bosses."  
Without replying, the large vampire ran at her again. He grew increasingly frustrated as she dodged all of his punches, each of hers landing on his abdomen and winding him. Eventually he managed to tackle her to the ground, a noise from behind him catching his attention.  
"This isn't the witch, you stupid newborn! Why are you wasting your time with her?" A tall, slim figure stood several feet away, chastising the enraged vampire.  
He kept her pinned to the ground as he answered the man behind him. "I'm sorry, sir. But you don't understand- she's different, abnormally strong-"  
The other man shook his head. "She's not who we want."

The blonde let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm right here, guys. Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" In one slick move, the teen swung her leg out to push the massive vampire off of her, quickly following him as he rolled over so she was hovering over him. In a matter of seconds, she drove her stake into his chest and watched as he exploded into dust underneath her. In the background she heard the other man mutter "Imbecile" but by the time she turned around he was gone.  
"What the hell?" She stood up, shaking the dust off her jacket as her eyes searched for any trace of the other man, but there was none to be found.

Even Damon didn't see where he went, he was too engulfed in watching this seemingly weak, petite blonde overpower a vampire twice her size. The ease and precision in her movements, her superhuman strength… The oldest Salvatore brother's mind was reeling. In over a century and a half, he had never encountered anything like her. He strained his ear to listen once more, ensuring he didn't mishear her heartbeat the first time. Uncharacteristically deciding to stay hidden, he watched as she checked every inch of the cemetery before eyeing her as she left and disappeared into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

"Rick, we have a slight problem." Damon spoke into his cell phone as he sat back in the passenger seat of Caroline's car. Ignoring her wide eyes and probing questions, he held a finger up to her lips and continued speaking into the receiver. "Well, tell the lovely Jenna to finish her dinner and get lost. This can't wait. See you in ten."  
Caroline dutifully waited until he hung up before speaking again. "Damon, you said we would be working together. You can't just not tell me what's going on. That wasn't the deal."  
Damon rolled his eyes and gestured towards the road. "The sooner you get to Rick's, the quicker you can find out. I'm not telling the story twice."

* * *

"And you're sure she was human?" Alaric looked troubled as he processed the new information. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his lap, as if to ensure he heard the older Salvatore brother correctly.  
Damon paced around Alaric's kitchen, clearly in search of something. "Let's put it this way: her blood was so appetising, I would have sunk my fangs into her pretty little throat and drained her dry- if I didn't think she'd snap my neck in the process."  
"Yuck." Caroline wrinkled her nose, arms folded across her chest as she watched the vampire raid a liquor cabinet.  
"Speaking of thirst, Rick, where do you keep your good stuff?"  
Alaric almost absentmindedly walked over to his desk and opened one of the drawers, pulling out a bottle of scotch before handing it to Damon. "Werewolf?"  
Pouring a glass, the other man shook his head. "Check your calendar, Teach. It's a full moon. If she were a werewolf, she'd be a lot more hairy. And smell a lot less pleasant."  
Leaning against his desk, Alaric looked at the floor, lost in thought. After a long, silent moment, he mumbled. "I have no idea."  
"That makes two of us." Damon downed his glass before pouring another, this time also pouring one for the owner of the alcohol. He turned to Caroline and held up the bottle in a silent offer. When she declined, he shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Alaric quietly nursed his drink, mind racing through all the possible scenarios that could ensue. He walked over to his bookcase and pulled out a book that appeared at least a century older than him. "Do you think she could be the one behind all the recent activity? Maybe she had vampires do the dirty work?"  
Damon's brow furrowed. "No, she was happily killing these guys. Well, she would have if the bossier one didn't get away. That's our other issue. Those guys were organised. They seem to be turning new vamps to do their dirty work and to fetch the witch they need. So we could be dealing with large numbers of -albeit inexperienced- foes. And tiny teen superhuman seemed hell-bent on finding out what they are up to, and even more adamant on killing them."  
Taking a seat at his desk, the other man started flicking through pages of the book, eyes glued intently to its contents. "Maybe that could go in our favour. Whatever the girl's or the vamps' intentions, her holding them up could buy us some time to figure out how to handle this."

Damon held out his arms. "I still vote we find them, rip their hearts out and call it a day."  
Alaric glanced up from his book. "If they are as organised as they seem, it could prove more difficult than that. Plus, if this girl is out to kill vampires, you don't want to draw attention to yourself or Stefan. We need to deal with one problem at a time."  
"So we just add her to the slaughter list. Done."

Caroline raised her hand, as if posing a question in class.  
"What is it, Blondie?"  
She moved closer to them. "Well, if she and her friends- teacher- whatever- If they want to stop them too, we could try team up? I mean, if she's as good at fighting as you say she is, maybe you could use the help. Especially if we're going to be outnumbered."  
The dark-haired vampire clicked his fingers and pointed at her. "Great idea! Except for a few _minor_ issues: we don't know who or what she is, we can't trust her and she knows how to kill me and Stefan."

At that moment, his phone buzzed in the front pocket of his black jeans. "Speak of the devil."  
He quickly hit answer. "Not the best time, brother of mine… She's with me… No, I am not snacking on her… Well, while you are playing babysitter and gossiping about boys at your slumber party, we're trying to solve the problem… Look, I'll explain how productive Blondie and I have been later." He cut the call and polished off the rest of his glass before looking to Caroline. "You, designated driver. Come." He gestured towards the door before glancing back at Alaric, who was already engrossed in his books. "Call me if you find out anything."

* * *

"Agh! Bloody hell!"

Buffy followed the curses down into the basement of their rental home to find Giles attempting to hang a punching bag on a rail in the far left corner. She looked around the spacious room, that had been empty the night before, to find a makeshift training room. She paused for a moment, taking in the layout. Punching bags and target boards were scattered around a large, central, cushioned grey mat. Against the farthest wall, her favourite weapons were all laid out for her- some hanging on the wall while others were laid out across a large wooden table. Her excitement grew as she briskly crossed the room to help her Watcher hang the fourth and final punching bag.

"Giles, what's all this? And why didn't you wake me? It's almost midday."  
Pulling out a handkerchief, the older man wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead before replying, his words hindered by his shortness of breath. "I thought you could do with some extra rest… As for this…" He gestured. "You'll need somewhere to train."  
The Slayer grinned as she followed his gaze around the room. "True, but you didn't have to go to all of this effort. I mean," her speech paused as she picked up her crossbow and aimed it at one of the target boards, "I love it!"

A small smile rested on Giles' countenance as he watched her. "You've been through a lot, Buffy. After everything with Angel last year, and you working so hard to get back on top of your studies and other commitments. Then this unfortunate business of having to come here and face a new threat on unfamiliar territory… You certainly deserve a space to call your own."  
The Slayer bore a beaming smile as she shot an arrow directly into the centre of a target near the staircase. All of a sudden, she turned to hug her Watcher, the tightness of the embrace knocking the breath he had just caught back out of him.  
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's perfect!"  
He chuckled and patted her on the back, waiting to catch his breath once more before speaking. "I will admit, however, I do have a more selfish motive behind all of this. We do need to train more intensely. Since we are still unclear about what it is that we're up against- the more prepared we are, the better."  
Buffy let out a soft laugh, pulling away from him. "Don't ruin it, Giles." She turned back to the table of weapons to place the crossbow down and inspect the rest of her armoury. "But I agree. Whatever comes at me, I want to be able to handle it."  
"I have no doubts that you will."

"Where are the others?" She glanced up at him for a second before returning her attention to the assortment of blades under her fingertips.  
"They are out getting some shopping as we speak. Xander assisted me in setting up here this morning while Willow continued researching the only clue The Watchers Council made us privy to, the tremendous help that they are." He shook his head as he removed his glasses to clean them.  
"They're still not answering our calls, huh?"  
Giles gave her a tight smile. "It seems the apocalypse did not get the memo about only occurring during UK office hours."  
"Who needs 'em?" She grinned, her optimism abundantly evident.  
"Unfortunately, we could use any help we could get at this stage. I was thinking we should try the library here for local newspapers, old and new. It would help if we could become acquainted with the usual and unusual occurrences of Mystic Falls."  
She nodded, determined. "And I'll patrol again tonight and try track down boss man from last night. He couldn't have gotten far."

Their conversation was cut short by the noise of Willow and Xander returning. The sound of two unfamiliar male voices echoed down the stairs along with the familiar ones. Buffy and Giles briefly exchanged uncertain glances before rushing upstairs, opening the door into the kitchen and closing it behind them.  
They were met by Xander, Willow and two men, each carrying a brown paper bag of groceries. All of whom appeared in a jovial mood as they walked down the hallway.

Willow grinned at them as they entered the kitchen. "H-hey! Mr Giles, this is Mr Saltzman. He's the history teacher that girl told us about in the Grill last night. And this is his friend, Damon. They offered to give us a tour and tell us more about Mystic Falls."  
They all exchanged names and pleasantries as they set the bags down on the dining table.

The dark-haired man who was introduced as Damon gave them all a charming smile and shook Giles' hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rupert. I'm told you are all here from California for a history project? I'm no history scholar but I do take a special interest in Mystic Falls' history. My ancestors have been here for generations, dating back to being one of the founding families."  
Giles' eyes lit up. "Is that so? Do you mind if I ask your surname?"  
"Of course! It's Salvatore. I'm actually named after one of my ancestors. My family always made it a point to pass down stories so I'd be more than happy to share."  
"Ah yes, Salvatore. I do believe we came across that name in our research. And thank you, that is very kind of you. Both of you." He smiled, directing his attention to the other man. "As I am sure you are well aware, keeping teenagers interested in history can be a formidable task. I truly believe if they get to- to see more tangible parts of the history they are studying, it will capture their attention away from their dreaded phones and computers."  
Alaric let out an honest chuckle. "I commend you for that. It certainly is an arduous task. One I struggle with daily."  
Damon nudged Alaric playfully. "Where were teachers like this when we were back in school?"

Buffy, making herself busy with unpacking the groceries, had a genuine smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "We're very lucky."  
"Let me help you with that." Damon made his way around the table, taking an assortment of groceries from one of the bags and placing them onto the shelves in the refrigerator. "Buffy, was it?"  
"That's what they call me! Usually." She began placing condiments into the cupboard beside the refrigerator.  
"And what do they call you, unusually?" A lopsided smile crept onto his face as he watched her reach overhead, one eyebrow raised inquisitively.  
"Names they don't usually live to repeat." She tried to deliver the line with a straight face but a small, barely audible laugh shook her frame.  
"Noted. Buffy it is."

Willow helped Xander unpack the other bags. After a moment, she interrupted Giles and the other man's conversation about students. "So, Mr Saltzman, what books do you recommend for getting to know the town? Are there any in the library?"  
"Please, call me Alaric. And yes, there are a few that would definitely help you with your project. Maybe on the town tour we can stop off and I'll help you find them."  
Giles interjected. "I do hope we are not inconveniencing you in any way. I'm sure you both have other plans for the day."  
Damon looked across at them from the refrigerator. "Not at all, Rupert! It's Sunday and this is a small town. I can assure you we have nothing else to do."  
Giles gave them a grateful smile. "That would be most helpful, thank you."

Buffy closed the cupboard and cleared her throat. "Um, Mr Giles, maybe I should hold the fort and do some reading. You know, the reading we discussed earlier?"  
Damon turned around to face her, bearing an inviting smile. "Nonsense! Believe me, you will want to make the most of these clear skies while we have it. Virginia doesn't get as much sun as California."  
Her Watcher nodded in agreement. "Yes, very true. Buffy do come with, you can get back to that later."

As soon as the groceries were put away, the four followed Alaric Saltzman and Damon Salvatore out into the town for their guided tour, agreeing to stop for lunch along the way.


	4. Chapter 4

The afternoon sun floated high in the sky, clouds not daring to mask its light as it danced along pavements and roads, illuminating the streets of Mystic Falls. Most of the population of the small town seemed to be making the most of their idyllic Sunday; loitering outdoors in parks and in front of cafés. Among them were the visitors from Sunnydale, walking out of the Mystic Grill with two locals.

"You've been incredibly generous with your time, thank you. I'm afraid we've delayed you long enough. Besides, we should get back to writing up this report."  
"It's been a pleasure." Damon Salvatore gestured out towards the town square. "It's small but it's home. And it isn't often that we get to brag about it."  
Willow grinned. "There's a lot to brag about! And thanks for the book recommendations."  
Alaric gave the enthusiastic teen a smile. Despite it not being the true intention of the outing, he had enjoyed answering hers and Giles' questions. "Don't mention it. I just wish my students took as much interest in the subject as you do."

"Hope we didn't bore you too much." The darker-haired local gave the other two teens a knowing look.  
Xander was quick to argue. "No, no! The yawning was from tiredness. They were interested yawns, if you will."  
"Late night," Buffy offered, nodding in agreement while desperately trying to put on an eager face.  
Damon leaned towards them, whispering conspiratorially. "Boring, I know. But hopefully your friend will do most of the report." He tilted his head towards Willow, a hint of a smirk on his features.  
With a chuckle, Xander confessed, "It wouldn't be the first time."

"Oh and hey," Damon began announcing to the whole group, "they're setting up a giant projection screen in the square tonight and hosting a movie night. It's in aid of the local animal shelter, I believe. Starts around 7pm, after sundown. It may be a nice break from your studies." He shot a side-glance at Buffy, gauging her reaction. To his surprise, she seemed to perk up momentarily before a troubled look briefly crossed her features.  
"We'll see if we can make it. Deadlines." The blonde teen shrugged, disappointment flitting across her eyes.  
"I'm sure your teacher will let you take an evening off. It is for a good cause, after all."  
Giles let out an awkward laugh, adjusting his glasses. "Well, we'll see. We better get to work."

After their goodbyes, Damon and Alaric watched them walk off. When the other man went to speak, the older Salvatore brother shushed him and pointed across the street to his car.  
While en-route to the Salvatore mansion, he explained. "We don't know if she has super-hearing, too."  
"Damon, they seem _very_ human _._ And very much of this generation."  
"So your answer to this mystery is that I just imagined it all?"  
"Well, were you drinking?" Alaric teased.  
"Only afterwards when I drained your stash dry. I'm telling you, Rick, something isn't right here. No human could do what she did."  
"If you think she's a threat, why invite her tonight?"  
Damon sighed. "Come on, it's like you don't know me at all. We need them out of the house so we can pay it visit and see what they're hiding in that basement."  
The lighter-haired man was about to argue but paused. "Yeah, I noticed that too. They closed that door very quickly."  
"Uh-huh. So someone will need to keep them occupied while I play Nancy Drew."  
"How did you get in without an invite anyway?"  
The driver smiled mischievously. "I have my ways…"  
Alaric looked at him expectantly and Damon soon relented. "I knew the owners- Mrs Baker and her delightful daughter. When Mrs Baker died last year- and no, it wasn't me- her daughter was left the house. And I, shall we say, _helped_ her forget her grief… She must be letting out the place now."  
Mr Saltzman shook his head in disbelief. "You fed on a grieving woman?"  
"Why grieve when you can party?" Damon shrugged, unaffected, as he pulled up into his driveway.

Stefan stood in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest as he watched his brother get out of the car and walk towards him.  
"You're looking a little off, baby bro. When was the last time you ate a bunny?"  
"Damon." He blocked his brother's path when he attempted to walk into the house. "When were you going to fill me in?"  
"In on what?" The older Salvatore brother played coy, feigning confusion. He glanced past him into the house, spotting Caroline inside. "You!"  
Her voice was high-pitched when she replied, slightly cowering behind Bonnie in an attempt to avoid his possible wrath. "I'm a bad liar, okay?! They knew something was up!"  
Elena stepped in front of her best friends. "Don't blame Caroline, Damon."  
The darker-haired vampire walked inside, shouldering his brother out of his way. "I was going to tell you when I solved the problem."  
Stefan followed him, Alaric close behind. "Which, in Damon-speak, means you were going to tell us after you killed people and put us all at risk."  
"Give me some credit. How much did _she_ tell you?" He briefly glared at Caroline before proceeding to pour himself some bourbon on his drinks side-table.  
"That you saw one of the visitors kill a vampire."  
Damon pursed his lips. "It was a bit more dramatic than that."

Stefan waited for his volatile brother to continue.  
"The visitor I saw take on a vamp was a teenage girl, the same age as Elena. Except she was even shorter, more petite. You'd think a vamp of any age would snap her in half."  
"Yet she killed one?"  
"Like it was child's play. Plus she came prepared. Wooden stake. And she seemed to know the vamp was somebody's lackey."  
"And you're certain she was human?"  
Damon almost growled. "Yes! I know a human when I see one."  
"So what is she?" The younger Salvatore's brow furrowed.  
Alaric took a seat on one of the couches, a perplexed expression on his face. "Definitely human. Typical teenage girl."  
"You saw her?"  
"We just gave her and the rest of the visitors a tour of the town."  
Bonnie was wide-eyed. "Why would you do that?"  
Damon took a seat across from Alaric. "To get info to save your precious little witch life, Bon Bon…. Now that we're all in the know, you guys can help stall them tonight while I do some home invasion and try figure out what they're really doing here."

"Um, by the way," Caroline avoided Damon's eyes as she looked around at the others, "I overheard my mom saying that there were three separate animal attacks last night- all of them died. She's thinking of cancelling tonight's event because of it."  
A look of anger and determination rested on Stefan's features. "These new vamps they're turning are getting out of control. That's five this week. We need to do something. Fast."  
"That's what I'm trying to do, baby brother."  
"As much as I want to figure out what's going on with this girl, for now it sounds like she's on our side. We should focus on the bigger problem."  
"I'd rather do both. There's no way I'm letting a 5 foot 3 inches teenage girl blindside me… And I'll talk to Sheriff Forbes, convince her to let tonight go ahead."  
Stefan sighed. "Fine. You can do it tonight during the film. I'll go in case any vampires show up, and I'll keep an eye on the tourists. But afterwards we're hunting them down, Damon. They must be nesting somewhere. If we can find it, we can go back more prepared and get them tomorrow during daylight."

* * *

Scores of people gathered in Mystic Falls town square, crowds forming and setting out blankets on the grass to sit on. Each group faced a currently dark, large projection screen, which had the clock tower just visible behind it. Giant speakers were set up in each corner of the square, each one playing upbeat music on the lead-up to the film showing. Meanwhile, there was chatter and laughter as some of the town's inhabitants queued up at popcorn stands and ice-cream vans, preparing to indulge in delicious treats on a cool Spring night.

Upon paying an entry donation, Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles began laying down a blanket on the side of the square opposite the screen, behind crowds of people.  
"I wonder what movie they're going to play?" Willow mused as she gazed around the park.  
Within minutes, they were approached by Damon Salvatore, another man and a brunette teenager.  
"Glad you guys came! Hopefully this will show you that Mystic Falls isn't as boring as it seemed this morning." The dark-haired local smiled and gestured to his company. "I don't believe you have met my brother, Stefan, and his girlfriend, Elena?"

They all participated in friendly, light conversations. The jovial atmosphere was maintained by back-and-forths about the town, high school and movie predictions.  
After several minutes and a couple of trips to get snacks, Damon excused himself. "I'm going to go find some more _adult_ beverages. I'll try get back before the film starts."

Within moments, a family-friendly comedy appeared on the screen. Silence fell onto the town square as people settled back to enjoy it and their popcorn.  
A half-hour into the movie, Buffy leaned across to Stefan and Elena, speaking in a whisper. "Hey, I'm going to head now. I'm not feeling great. It was so nice to meet you!"  
Elena frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that. Are you sure you don't want to stay? I think I have some painkillers in my handbag." She rummaged through her belongings to search for them.  
Buffy gave her a small smile and shook her head, her hand resting on her stomach. "No, thank you. Honestly, I think I should just go home to bed."  
Elena acquiesced, and she and Stefan waved goodbye.  
As Buffy stood up to leave, Willow mouthed 'good luck' and Giles gave her a nod, whereas Xander was too absorbed in the movie to notice her departure.

* * *

Damon Salvatore was in the basement of the rental home- taken aback by the amount of weapons he had discovered- when his cellphone rang. "What do you mean she left, Stefan? All you had to do was keep her there!"  
After hanging up the phone, Damon ran upstairs to the bedrooms. He checked every inch of each room, gathering as much information as possible. He noted the titles of each book on folklore and vampires, briefly scanning pages that were left open. When he got to the room he presumed to be Buffy and Willow's, he hesitated. Following the scent that entranced him on the first night they had arrived into town, he slowly approached the blonde's wardrobe. Opening the doors, he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. For a moment he unintentionally let himself drown in the intoxicating aroma. It was true that some humans were more appetising than others but this urge was stronger. Her unique scent resonated with something more animalistic, even more primal than thirst, deep inside him.

When he escaped his trance, he looked down to the floor of the wardrobe and noticed more weapons sitting in a backpack. Suddenly, a noise penetrated his consciousness: he heard footsteps outside, approaching the front door. A phone buzzed. Buffy answered it while Damon listened carefully to hear both sides of the conversation.

* * *

Stefan had his arm around Elena, savouring the sweet moment of normality as they watched the movie. He smiled and held her tighter when she moved in closer, resting her head on his shoulder. He hadn't noticed Willow leaving the group beside him and barely noticed her arriving back. When he looked in his peripheral vision, he watched as she sat back down, breathless, her hair dishevelled. She exchanged meaningful glances with her friends. At that moment, in the distance, Stefan overheard the word vampire being uttered and focused in on the conversation.

 _"It bit me!… A girl stopped it but on the phone I heard her say it was a vampire! Seriously! And she tried doing some spell or something to make me forget, it was so weird! I don't know what to do!"_

Stefan stiffened under Elena. His girlfriend looked up at him, puzzled, asking questions with her eyes. He whispered into her ear before getting up to follow the conversation and scent of fresh blood.

When he found the victim, he focused on not letting the vampire in him appear. He all but held his breath as he approached.  
"My god, are you okay?" He feigned surprise, asking her friend for her scarf. "Put this against the wound."  
As he held the scarf to her neck, his pupils dilated and his irises became brighter. "You were bitten by an animal after wandering into the woods. You don't remember anything else. Go home, stay inside and keep pressure on the wound. You will be okay."  
Before her friend could ask him what he was doing, he turned and compelled her too. He watched as they walked over to a car together, then swiftly pulled out his cellphone.  
"Bonnie, are you okay?! I thought we agreed you'd stay home tonight? Why didn't you call me?... What do you mean you're at home? … It wasn't you?" Stefan looked around frantically, confusion etched on his features. "I'll tell you later, I have to go. Stay where you are."  
When he hung up, he quickly dialled another number. When Damon didn't pick up, he let out an exasperated sigh and took a deep breath to compose himself before returning to Elena.

When he got there, he noticed the group beside her were gone.  
She sat up straighter. "They said they wanted to go help Buffy. Stefan, what's going on?"


	5. Chapter 5

Buffy hung up the phone and entered the house, her facial features and posture immediately more tense and conveying the stress the call from Willow had given her. She quickly took the stairs two at a time but froze at the top when an odd sensation stopped her in her tracks. Hairs stood up on the nape of her neck as an uncomfortable tingle ran down her spine. _Something isn't right._ Her instincts had saved her ass enough to make her take heed- and, as if on cue, a generic ring-tone briefly sounded out inside her bedroom.

She slid a stake out from the inside pocket of her jacket and began quietly making her way towards the room. The door was cracked open slightly, allowing her to peer in before opening it fully. Her breath caught when she found her wardrobe doors and bedroom window wide open, the night breeze blowing the light cream curtains out towards her _._ Goosebumps erupted along her arms and a disconcerting feeling sank in the pit of her stomach at the realisation that an intruder had been here. Only seconds had passed before she sprang to action, looking out the window in an attempt to catch the guilty party. All she witnessed was leaves rustling in the wind.

Buffy then returned her focus to her wardrobe and scanned its contents, ensuring nothing was missing. As she grabbed her backpack and flung it over her shoulder, footsteps darted above her. She swiftly climbed out the window, jumping to a tree a few feet away. Using the trunk and its large outgrowing branches to propel herself upwards, she reached the roof in seconds. The source of the noise was already gone, however, causing the Slayer to let out a clearly irritated sigh. She tried to focus on the gaps between trees, scanning the woodland which expanded behind the house, in pursuit of any sign of movement. Gaining nothing from the acrobatics, she decided to climb back down and thoroughly search the house for anything amiss before setting out on patrol.

* * *

"There's another witch?" Elena's voice was in a whisper as she questioned Stefan. They had left the crowd and were standing by his car, glancing around to make sure they weren't overheard.  
"It seems that way. Bonnie's still at home. And to top it all off, Damon isn't picking up."  
As concern crept onto Elena's countenance, Damon appeared behind her. He grabbed her shoulders and whispered "Boo!" into her ear, a smirk twisting his mouth upwards. "Don't worry, the dashing one is still alive."  
The teen recoiled then pushed him away. "Not funny, Damon."  
Stefan rolled his eyes and rested a hand on the roof of his car, watching his brother expectantly.  
"Your inability to go five minutes without talking to me almost cost me a really inconvenient fight, brother. Super-strength Barbie and pals seem to be here investigating the animal attacks. They know all about vampires and have an armoury. Oh, and the redhead's a witch."  
"Willow?" Elena's eyebrows shot up.  
"Well, she just saved Elena's classmate's life and prevented a mess for us." Stefan informed his brother.  
Damon shrugged. "Too bad they're all hell-bent on killing our kind or we could have been best friends."

A tenacious look entered Stefan's eyes. "We should try track down that vampire. Maybe he can lead us to wherever they're nesting."  
The older Salvatore smiled menacingly. "Oh, I'm sure we can convince him."  
Stefan turned to his girlfriend, his voice calming. "I'll drop you to Alaric's before we go." Before she could argue, he added. "He'll need some help researching. Plus Bonnie and Caroline said they wanted to head there and help... Well, Bonnie did. Caroline said she'd go for moral support. We'll pick them up along the way."  
"Stefan, I don't like this…"  
He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear while giving her a reassuring smile. "I'll be careful. I promise."  
"So will I. Not that anyone cares," Damon interjected, his voice mocking as amusement danced in his eyes.  
Ignoring his brother, Stefan opened the passenger-side door for Elena.

* * *

"What do you hear?" Stefan watched as his brother froze mid-sentence, his eyes darting to his right, staring unseeingly into the trees.  
"She beat us to it."  
"What?"  
He waved a hand dismissively at him and ran towards the noise. When they arrived, they stopped several metres short of the commotion, lurking behind trees.

"I can keep punching but it won't end well. We're talking weeping, begging, calling out for mommy. It's not pretty." The blonde was holding the vampire by the collar of his shirt, her fist hovering over his clearly worse-for-wear face.  
"Okay, okay! I'll tell you what I know!"  
She dropped her hand. "See, isn't this more pleasant? Now, where are you headed?"  
"Back to the compound. We're all supposed to report back for the night ceremony."  
"What ceremony?"  
The vampire winced under her grip. "I swear I don't know! Tonight's my first one. I was just reborn yesterday."  
"Reborn?" Buffy let out an incredulous laugh.  
"Y'know… Turned… Into a creature of the night."  
"You mean a vampire?"  
"Well, yeah. Look, I promise I'm telling you the truth."  
"Don't worry, I believe you." She gave him a fake smile. "How about you show me where this 'compound' is."  
He squirmed away from her to no avail. "If I do that, they'll kill me!"  
"And if you don't, I'll kill you. And it'll be a _lot_ more painful. I'd suggest you take your chances with your boss."  
"Leader." The newborn vampire corrected.  
"Oh whatever. Just start walking."

The Salvatore brothers stalked behind the blonde teenager and her informant, keeping enough distance to go unnoticed. They had walked for a couple of miles outside of the town's border before they reached a clearing in the forest.

Darkness shrouded multiple wooden huts, all arranged in a circular pattern around a central building that appeared to be a makeshift temple, its pyramidal peak pointing high into the night sky. Dozens of people gowned in red loose-fitting robes appeared to tend to the needs of others, more numerous, dressed in hooded black cloaks. They were gathered around scattered campfires, seemingly light-spirited as the air of joviality masked an unscrupulous under-surface. By one of the groups, a human dressed in red bore a content facial expression as he picked up a shard of glass and began slicing into the palm of his hand. A nearby vampire held out a golden bowl under the wound, collecting the blood before bringing the dish to her lips. She sipped from it, relishing in its taste, then passed the bowl around to others dressed similarly. It soon became horrifyingly apparent that all those in black had signs of vampirism freely evident on their faces, basking in their depraved glory.

"What the hell is going on here? Have you kidnapped a bunch of people to feed you?" Buffy looked sickened as she pulled her gaze away from the compound and back to the vampire in her grasp.  
"No, we're- they're- volunteers. Members of the order. I was one of them before I was blessed. We service the creatures of the nightfall in all of their reverence in the hopes to one night walk among them. And to fulfil the Leader's vision."  
"Which is..?"  
"I haven't been made privy to such a sacred truth yet. Only those who have shown unwavering loyalty on this most hallow plane knows."  
"This is…" She was at a loss for words, shaking her head as if trying to remove the images from her brain.  
"Please don't tell them I told you any of this. I haven't gotten to meet the Leader yet and if he finds out I-"  
"Don't worry," Buffy cut him off, driving a stake into his undead heart, "he won't."

The Salvatore brothers exchanged perturbed glances as the scene unfolded. They watched as the blonde scoped out the compound for a few moments before backing into the forest she had just walked through, retreating to Mystic Falls. After trading several meaningful looks, the brothers soon followed suit.

* * *

"No freakin' way…" Alaric scribbled furiously onto a sheet of paper much to the bewilderment of the others.  
"Did you find something?" Elena's tone was hopeful. They had spent hours stuck in books without so much as a crumb to follow.  
"I always thought it was a fable… But it all fits."  
"You're starting to sound crazy, Alaric." Bonnie raised her eyebrows as he continued to mumble and jot words down.  
Eventually he glanced up from his desk. "The girl… I thought something about it all seemed familiar but I could never put a finger on it. It's because when I originally read about her I assumed it was a fairytale."  
Caroline appeared baffled, pushing the book in front of her across the coffee table. "I've been doing the wrong assignment! I thought we were looking up mystic-related events' anniversaries and stuff."  
"We- you guys were. I was only reading up on this because it finally came back to me."

"What came back to you? That long, hot night with your high school sweetheart?" Damon strolled into the room and was casually helping himself to more of Alaric's liquor within seconds.  
Elena's gaze looked past him, searching, until her eyes fell upon Stefan. Relief washed over her features.  
"No, Buffy. She's the Vampire Slayer." The history teacher declared triumphantly.  
"The _what_?" Caroline began rubbing her temples.  
"The Vampire Slayer. 'A chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness.' Basically she is one girl called to fulfil a destiny of vampire hunting."  
Stefan tilted his head to one side. "I always thought that was a myth. A tale humans made up to scare vampires."  
Alaric let out a humourless laugh. "I did too, but after reading up on the lore it makes sense."

"What do we know about her?" Bonnie walked over to him, curiosity burning in her eyes.  
"Well, she has superhuman strength and fighting skills but we already knew that. She's basically humanity's only defence against vampires. And she has other things that help her…" He looked down at his scribbles. "Vampires naturally gravitate towards her. Her blood is supposedly more appealing than other humans'. This is to draw vampires away from the people she's trying to protect."  
Damon downed his drink then jerked his head towards him. "Yep, that's her."  
The rest of the group looked from Damon to Stefan for confirmation. In response, the younger Salvatore brother simply hung his head in shame.

Alaric continued. "The story goes that the Slayer is ruled by a council. They send her to where she is needed the most."  
"Well, that doesn't sound good." Caroline all but gulped.  
"We found the nest." Stefan offered, catching Rick's attention away from his notes. "The vampires have formed a commune, like a cult."  
"With some freaky human offerings. I've seen some vampire-worshippers in my time but never something like this." Damon shrugged. "We've been doing it wrong this whole time."  
"How many?" Alaric sat back in his chair, bracing himself.  
"At least 30." The lighter-haired Salvatore watched as this information hit the others like a tonne of bricks.

Rick appeared contemplative as he gazed back down at his notes. After a long, quiet moment, he spoke matter-of-factly. "We need the Slayer's help. If she's here to protect the humans of this town, she's on our side."  
The older Salvatore brother chuckled and picked up the text from his desk. "Except for the fact that her sole purpose is to kill all vampires."  
"You can go out in daylight so she thinks you're both human. We just need to keep it that way until we can gain her trust. We can tell her about the town council and how some of us know about the existence of vampires and that something is going on. She may have more information we need. Not to mention an extra pair of superhuman hands to protect the people of this town."  
Damon stopped flicking through the pages and closed the text, shaking his head in disbelief. "You want to tag team with my mortal enemy? Fine, Rick. But it's on your head if the champion of humans makes things worse rather than better."


	6. Chapter 6

_~Feel free to skip my babbling:  
_ _Like many of you I'm sure, TVD and BTVS are 2 shows I miss dearly. I'm having so much fun writing this/ getting back into a hobby I loved as a teen. So thank you for getting this far! I hope you're enjoying reading it even a fraction as much as I enjoy writing it. Any comments/ reviews/ constructive criticism is most welcome.~_

* * *

"We have a problem, Buffy."  
The Slayer sighed and dropped her backpack on the ground by the kitchen door. "We have many, Giles, which one are you referring to?"  
"Willow used magic. If the vampire reported back that she's a witch, she's in danger."  
Willow took a can of soda out of the refrigerator and passed it to her friend, frowning at the blonde's defeated expression. "I was only trying to help. I couldn't let him kill her."  
Buffy took the can and tried her best to give her friend a smile. "I know, Will. You did the right thing."  
"Is everything okay, Buff? You look like you just spent Christmas with my family," Xander joked as she walked by him to take a seat at the table.  
"Someone was here. In this house. A vampire. At least they moved pretty damn fast."  
Giles' voice became more high pitched. "There was? When? Are you okay?"  
"Yeah, it was before I went on patrol. They were in mine and Willow's bedroom."  
"What a pervert!" The younger man pulled up a chair next to her.  
Her Watcher sighed. "Well, it was always a risk that a vampire may have been invited into the house before. It is a surprise, however. The owner of this property has been living in Europe for almost a year now. And the vampires you've battled with are newborns, yes? She couldn't have invited them in."  
"There may be older vampires scoping us out? I'm not sure. Whoever it was didn't stick around long enough to meet Mr. Pointy."  
Giles picked his cup of tea up off the counter and took a seat opposite Buffy. He deliberated for a moment before turning his attention to Willow. "I think we should prioritise our safety here over your present interim from magic. Could you perform a Revoke Invitation Ritual this evening?"  
The redhead nodded with an enthusiastic smile. "Piece of cake."

"We also have another problem…" Buffy began, fidgeting with the can in her hands. "I found where all the vamps are gathering. They've formed some creepy religion or something. There's, uh, a lot…"  
Her Watcher tilted his head to one side. "A religion? Like a cult?"  
"Yeah. The one vamp I caught talked about it that way. Like they have this Leader with a 'vision'. It was so weird. Major heebie-jeebies. Apparently they have humans joining, offering themselves up as walking blood bags in the hopes of becoming a vampire."  
"Can I just take this moment to say: ew!" Xander visibly shuddered as Willow nodded at him vehemently.  
"How absurd… Whatever their Leader's 'vision' is, it can't be something we let come to fruition. They must need a witch to fulfil it…" Rupert trailed off, staring into his cup of tea as he mused.  
"See, that's the thing. When I say there are a lot, I mean a _lot._ Like dozens of vampires all powered up on freely supplied human blood." Buffy paused, glancing down at her hands, her voice small. "I'm not sure I can take them, Giles. Especially if they keep turning more."  
The older man watched as his powerful protégé sank down in her chair, suddenly resembling the seventeen year old girl that was behind the Slayer destiny. "I am certain you can, Buffy. You have already faced and conquered the unimaginable. However, you won't have to do this alone. We are outnumbered, so we'll play this strategically and devise a plan. In the meantime, you continue training and patrolling for those who leave the nest."  
Xander nudged her. "Us Slayerettes got your back, Buff. Don't let some 'Peoples Temple' wannabes get you down. And don't drink the Kool-Aid." He grabbed the soda from her and grinned.  
She gave them all an appreciative look before sitting up straighter to discuss everything she had witnessed.

* * *

Elena opened her bedroom door and was met by Stefan's smile. His hip was leaning against her dressing table, his posture relaxed despite the events of the day.  
"Jeremy's asleep and Bonnie and Caroline have decided on sharing Jenna's room while she's away. They said they're going to stay back and help with the dance prep after school but will meet us at yours by six."  
"That's good." He watched as she began her familiar routine of getting ready for bed. "How are you feeling?"  
"About a vampire cult terrorising my town and trying to kidnap my best friend?" Her face was expressionless as she looked in her mirror, busying herself with tying up her hair.  
"I know it's a lot to… process."  
Elena nodded and looked up at Stefan wordlessly, studying him for a moment.  
"What? Something on my face?" He wiped at his cheek playfully before holding out his hand for her to take.  
Without hesitation she placed her hand in his, allowing him to pull her close. After embracing tightly, burying her face into his chest, she lifted her head up to look into his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
"Tell you what?" He had one hand holding her close at the curve of her spine while the other twiddled with her ponytail.  
"About Buffy- the Slayer. About her blood being more..." Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right word to use.  
Stefan's hand dropped from her hair to rest on her side, his frame stiffening slightly. "It's not an easy topic to bring up."  
"It's up now. So talk to me."  
"What do you want to know?"  
"Tell me how _you_ feel, Stefan. Have you noticed it? Has it been harder to control the…urge?"  
After a few seconds, he slowly nodded. "Yes."  
She watched him, waiting for more but he offered nothing else. With a loud sigh, she pulled out of his grip and went back to her routine.

"What do you want me to say, Elena?" His voice was soft, pleading. He knew an argument was on the horizon if he didn't handle the situation delicately.  
"The truth? How you feel? You always hold back about this stuff, Stefan. It's like you don't trust me or something."  
"I do trust you."  
She pulled back her bedsheets with more force than necessary. "Then why don't you talk to me about it?"  
He exhaled slowly, frustration entering his guarded eyes. "Because usually I forget what a blood-hungry monster I am when I'm with you. And I'd rather you didn't see me that way."  
She frowned, her brow furrowed as she watched the internal conflict eat at him. "I don't see you that way, Stefan. I know who you are. You may be a vampire and yes, you struggle with aspects of that... But that's not all you are. And I know all of you. You don't have to hide anything from me. I just… I wish you knew that."  
Stefan avoided her probing gaze, taking a seat at the foot of her bed with his back facing her. "I can go downstairs…"  
She was quiet for a moment before speaking in almost a whisper. "I don't want you to."  
He twisted at the waist and was met with her hand extending towards him. Giving her a tired smile, he silently took the offer.

* * *

At the break of dawn the following day, the Slayer was wide awake and down in the basement. Clad in sweatpants and a t-shirt, she aggressively pummelled one of the punching bags until it was bursting at the seams. Behind the bag, her Watcher came into view, standing well back from its swinging motion.

"What's up, Giles?"  
"The council finally got in touch last night. They informed me that Mystic Falls has a Founders' Council who know of the existence of vampires. They said they may be able to help us-" An edge came into his voice. "Buffy, will you stop that and pay attention?"  
The Slayer looked contrite as she halted her fists. "Sorry." She grabbed a bottle of water off the table and made a gesture for him to continue.  
"The council originates from the founding families, one of which is the Salvatores."  
"Yeah, we already knew that. That Damon guy told us- Wait, you think they know about vampires?"  
"Worse. I was looking into each of the families and..." He opened up an old text and showed a page to Buffy, pointing out a specific section.  
"Stefan and Damon Salvatore… Didn't he say they were named after their ancestors? Which would make sense, I mean, why else would you pick those names-"  
"No, Buffy, look at the photograph." He pointed to it.  
"Crap, that's them! In 1864?"  
Giles nodded. "Which would make them over a century in age."  
"You think they're vampires? But Damon was out in the sun yesterday. And his brother goes to school- like, in the daylight."  
"I don't know how they could be accomplishing that but the comparison is far too close to merely put down to family resemblance."  
Buffy downed half the water then shook her head. "Vampires is the only thing that makes sense. As for the daylight appearances, I'll be sure to ask them what sunscreen they use."  
"If you're planning to do what I think you're going to do, please be careful."  
The Slayer smiled. "Giles, it's just two vamps. I can do that in my sleep."

* * *

"So what do you think?"  
Bonnie and Caroline had taken their lunch outside to enjoy the cloudless sky and surprisingly high temperature. They slipped off their jackets and sat on the grass away from their peers.  
"Of what?" The Bennet witch opened her brown paper bag and pulled out a sandwich.  
"Duh. Their plan to team up with the Californians? Do you think it's a good idea?"  
She sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm so tired of all this-" she glanced around before whispering, "vampire drama."  
"You and I both. And now Elena wants to ditch the dance, as usual. Except this one she promised me she'd help organise. We're not going to be in high school forever, you know. We need to make the most of it."  
Bonnie laughed. "I think she's just prioritising life and death over alcohol and dancing."  
Caroline rolled her eyes before leaning back to rest on her elbows, basking in the sun. "Sure, make it out as if I'm the shallow one. You forget Elena was even more into these nights out than I was before…"  
"Before her parents died?"  
The blonde was quiet for a moment. "Well she didn't. And her obsessing over death and vampire drama isn't healthy. We need to at least try have normal _human_ lives."

Bonnie appeared contemplative then leaned closer. "Can I tell you something?"  
"Of course."  
"I'm kind of hoping they do decide to involve the others. It'd be nice to have someone to talk to about witch stuff. Especially after Grams…"  
Caroline gave her friend a sympathetic look. "I know I don't really understand, but you know you can always talk to me, right?"  
"I know…" The brunette perked up, a smile lighting up her eyes. "But you're right! We need to enjoy life more. We'll make sure this dance is the highlight of the year. With no fatalities."  
They both laughed and enjoyed the rest of their break outdoors until the bell rang for class.

* * *

It was close to the group's agreed meet-up time and Stefan and Elena sat in the younger Salvatore brother's bedroom, discussing approaches to the situation they all found themselves in. When she complained of a headache, Stefan's concerned questions led him to the discovery that she hadn't had anything to drink all day. After chastising her for not looking after herself, he headed downstairs to fetch her a glass of water. In the middle of his living room, however, he froze.

"Hey old-timer! Quick question: how do you go out in daylight?" The Slayer's steely gaze never left the vampire before her. Her stake was held high and at the ready.  
Stefan slowly turned to face her, his voice steady and calm. "Buffy. I'll explain everything if you put the stake down. We're on the same side."  
She exhaled a laugh. "I doubt that. How about you tell me everything and I'll make your cremation quick?"  
"I know you're the Vampire Slayer. I thought you were a myth until you came to Mystic Falls. But my brother and I aren't like the others. We moved back here to live in peace among humans."  
"Cute. So you take part in some weird vamp cult at night, then go to school with humans during the day?"  
"No. They're killing our friends. Trust me, I want them dead just as much as you do."  
Buffy quirked a brow incredulously. "Okay, I'll play along. Are you gonna tell me how you handle sunlight without getting crispy? I have to admit, that's a new one."  
He held up his hand, his face earnest. "Daylight rings. They were made by a witch." He watched as she digested the information, taking a careful step towards her. "I know you have no reason to trust me, but we want the same thing. This is just a job to you but these are my family, my friends, my home. No one wants this dealt with more than I do."

"Stefan, is everything okay?" Elena descended the stairs and rounded the corner, her demeanour buoyant until her eyes fell upon them. Her voice immediately became panicked. "Please don't! He doesn't hurt anybody!"  
Buffy watched as Elena stepped out in between her and Stefan, her hands outstretched and eyes pleading. Holding her position, the Slayer looked past the other teenager and into the vampire's eyes. Obvious concern was etched across his features as he grabbed his girlfriend's arm and pulled her behind him.

Conflict clouded the blonde's orbs as she hesitated, torn between her Slayer instincts and encroaching empathy. As thoughts of Angel came unbidden to her mind, the hand she was holding the stake in fell from an offensive position to rest at her side, her posture relaxing. At that moment, movement she hadn't noticed before appeared in her periphery. A strong hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back, causing her to briefly lose her balance. While regaining her footing, she noticed a familiar ring on one of the fingers gripping her shoulder. Acting on her aforementioned instinct, she spun around and briskly pushed the stake upwards, sinking it deep into the man's chest.

"Alaric, no!" Stefan's voice boomed as he moved at supernatural speed to catch his body as it fell.  
Buffy jumped back and watched as her attacker dropped into the younger Salvatore brother's arms rather than erupting into ash. Reality didn't set in until she saw copious amounts of deep red liquid ooze from his chest.  
"Alaric!" Elena ran over, frantically grabbing a blanket off the couch on the way. She pressed it up against the wound.  
"He has no pulse. My blood won't work." Stefan spoke through gritted teeth, veins dilating and constricting under his eyes.  
"I…. I thought…" Buffy struggled to get the words out, her eyes wide and heart racing as she stumbled backwards. She feebly pointed at the history teacher's hand. "He has the same daylight ring as you..."  
Elena's gaze shot up to Stefan. "His ring! She's supernatural! It'll save him, right?!"  
He appeared solemn and unsure as he looked back at his girlfriend.  
The brunette's voice broke, her eyes on the verge of tears. "It has to!"

Seconds later, the front door of the Salvatore mansion opened. Damon caught the scent of fresh blood and followed it curiously until his sight fell upon the limp body of his closest friend. Shock and unadulterated grief flitted across his features, his eyes wide and nostrils flaring. He frantically searched the room for answers, his gaze eventually settling on the Slayer. As they did, fury erupted from deep within him, the vampire inside making an outward appearance.  
"Damon, don't!" Elena screeched in vain as his body was already in a blurred motion towards the blonde. He was mere inches from her when another indistinct figure collided with him, smashing him into a wall on the other side of the room.  
"Go!" Stefan snarled back at the Slayer as he pinned his brother, his forearm wedged against Damon's throat.  
Buffy's eyes were glossed over when she looked to Elena, her voice obstructed by raw emotion. "I didn't mean to- I'm so sorry..."

With that, she was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

"Damon, calm down!" Stefan's voice was filled with determination and urgency as his brother struggled against his grip.  
"Alaric was wearing his ring! He'll be fine, he's fine." Elena words meant to reassure the older Salvatore brother were instead directed at the lifeless body on the ground beside her. She gripped the man's hand tightly, as if trying to hold him onto this plane.  
"You don't know that! She's human, and soon to be ripped to shreds!" Damon's words were filled with venom. Suddenly he stopped protesting aimlessly and focused on twisting his brother's arms outwards, knocking him back and off balance. Using this to his advantage, the older brother swiftly tossed him across the living room.

Within a second, Stefan was back to his feet again, attempting to reason with the seething man staring him down. "Alaric wouldn't want this."  
"He's dead. He can't do anything about it." With a blur of motion, Damon left the house.  
Elena's pupils seemed to be floating in tears as she looked up at the younger Salvatore, her grip still tight on Alaric. "Stefan, you can't let him-"  
"I won't. Stay with Alaric." His eyes avoided the blood that was soaking Alaric clothes as he spoke. Within seconds, he disappeared after his brother.

* * *

Buffy arrived back on the street of the rental home but hesitated before approaching the house. The others were bound to be waiting nervously for her return. Their eyes would be filled with concern, their minds with questions. None of which the Slayer could face. Living but somehow lifeless, she turned away and pulled out her phone.  
- _I'm ok. Couldn't get them all. Stay inside and stay safe. Will be home soon.-_

She wandered aimlessly, her mind numb. Focusing on the sound of her own footsteps rhythmically hitting the pavement then crunching twigs, she watched herself walk for miles until she found herself on the outskirts of the compound she had discovered the night before. Frozen amongst the trees, her eyes were glued to the entrance. She hovered there for what seemed like forever, still and silent. Despite the quietness, she did not hear him approach.

* * *

Bonnie Bennett ceased moving in the hallway of the Salvatore mansion when her eyes fell upon Elena and Alaric. Her sudden halt startled Caroline, who was strolling in behind her, eyes glued to her phone.  
"Bonnie! What gives-" The blonde stopped mid arm-flail, eyes wide on the scene in the living room. "What?! What the hell happened?! Is he okay?! Are you okay?! Where's Stefan?!" Her eyes moved frantically in search of answers as the hysteria in her voice rose.  
"He uh… He went to stop Damon. Alaric was stabbed but he'll be okay. He was wearing his ring." Elena spoke matter-of-factly, though her voice was brimming with emotion. Her gaze never strayed from Alaric's closed eyes.  
"Stabbed?! By who?!" Caroline hadn't taken any steps closer, her face draining of colour as the reality of the situation began sinking in.  
"The Slayer… Buffy… She thought he was a vampire. She came here and we were trying to explain we're not with the other vampires… And Alaric came and he tried to stop her from hurting us and she thought he was a vampire too and then…" Her words trailed off as Bonnie approached, dropping down to her knees beside her friend.  
"Will his ring work? Since she's human?" She spoke softly, watching Elena carefully.  
"It has to." The words came out in a whisper. Through the haze of her thoughts, the doppelgänger registered the comforting hand that rested on her back.

* * *

A tall, dark figure grew closer behind the Slayer. Her normal instincts would have picked up on the movement sooner, causing her to spin around and defend herself- but she stood still, eyes looking ahead unseeingly.

After a long, quiet moment, she spoke. Her voice lacked its usual strength, reflecting more of the lost seventeen year old girl fulfilling the Slayer duties. "How did you find me?"  
"I recognised the look in your eyes."  
The answer made no sense to her. She continued to stare unflinchingly as he slowly advanced. "You're here to kill me." It wasn't a question.  
"No. You made a mistake." Stefan's features surfaced in her peripheral vision, his gaze following hers. "Don't make another."  
The expressionless look on her countenance shifted as his words registered in her mind, leaving confusion in its wake. "Another?"  
He nodded towards the compound, eyes moving to her face then back again. "You can't take them on alone."

Buffy remained silent. Seconds ticked by as leaves rustled overhead. Eventually she whispered, "What's the worst that can happen?"  
Stefan's jaw tensed. "You dying now would be for nothing. You're here to protect people. Who will protect them when you're gone?"  
She exhaled a humourless laugh, full of bitterness and self-loathing. "The next Slayer will be called. And she would fulfil her destiny without harming innocent people."  
"It was self-defense. You thought he was a vampire."  
Buffy shook her head stiffly. "But he wasn't. And now he's dead. Because of me."  
The younger Salvatore brother glanced over at the blonde, his eyes studying hers. He spoke rationally. "Buffy, this would accomplish nothing. The only way to atone for what happened is to continue your work. Save more lives. Don't let one mistake define who you are. The good you bring into this world far outweighs any bad you are capable of."  
She avoided his gaze. Her once emotionless voice now containing traces of desolation. "You don't even know me."

"You didn't kill me," he began thoughtfully. "You had the opportunity to but you didn't. You could easily switch off your humanity and become a soldier who mindlessly kills all vampires in your path. Instead, you empathise. Buffy, I am a vampire. In the past I have fed on and killed innocent people. For fun. But you showed me mercy. You chose to see my humanity over my darkest acts. I hope you decide to give yourself the same consideration."  
The Slayer glanced his way, briefly meeting his gaze before looking away uncomfortably. After a moment, she seemed to swallow a lump in her throat, before speaking hesitantly. "You were wrong before… It's not just a job to me."  
Stefan's eyes never left hers, his voice softening. "I see that now."

* * *

"Don't make me huff and puff and blow this house down!" Damon snarled as his foot smashed through the wooden railing of the veranda. He then returned to pacing back and forth along the porch, his voice loud and directed at the occupants of the house. "Just send out the Slayer or I'll get in there and tear all of you apart! And no witchy spell will stop me!"

Giles stood on the stairs leading down to the basement, glancing over at the front of the house from behind the basement door. Xander and Willow crouched behind him. Each bore weapons, their knuckles white from gripping so tightly.  
"W-what will we do?" Willow stumbled over her hushed words.  
"He thinks Buffy is here. That means she's safe and on her way. Thanks to your spell, he won't be able to get in. We'll wait here until she arrives."  
"But what if she's not on her way?" Xander's panic was evident in his voice.  
"I called her multiple times and left her voicemails and texts." Willow offered.  
"But what if she didn't see them?" The ominous undertone did not go undetected by the others.  
Giles repositioned his glasses. "She did. She's on her way." His words were suddenly less convincing than before.

Mid-pace, Damon suddenly halted. His torso twisted towards the front door. "Fine! Have it your way!" His feet descended the porch steps onto the pavement outside. After a moment, it was deathly silent.

When the silence stayed for several minutes, the others spoke.  
"Is he gone?" Xander tried peeking past Giles.  
"I believe he is." The older man, however, did not budge.  
"What's happening? D-do you think he'll come back?" Willow loosened her grip on the stake she was holding just long enough to switch hands.  
"I'm not sure." Giles gestured for them to stay behind him. "We better wait here just in case."

The ensuing tranquillity lasted for many minutes, luring those inside the house into a false sense of security. They were inching closer to the kitchen when they heard footsteps return outside.

"Guess who's back?! Last chance to send the killer blonde outside."

Damon's words boomed through the house, sending those inside scurrying back to the basement. Soon they heard liquid being poured onto the front porch followed by the distinct sound of a Zippo lighter.


	8. Chapter 8

Liquid was splashed up the hallway before a red, plastic container was thrown inside, bouncing along the kitchen tiles until it ultimately smashed against a cupboard. The scent of gasoline penetrated the entire house, quickly wafting down towards the basement, alarming those inside. Within seconds of the Zippo dropping to the wooden porch floor outside, flames engulfed a meandering path into the house, swallowing up gasoline along its course. The orange and red hues flickered upwards, precariously stroking furniture and the belongings of the inhabitants.

Rupert was frozen for what felt like an eternity. In reality, he had spun to face the others within seconds. His usually calm, controlled voice was rushed. "Is there a fire extinguisher down here? Or a tap?"  
Xander wordlessly ran down the steps and frantically searched the basement. Soon his stress-laden voice called back towards the others. "There's nothing!"  
The older man glanced down to double check, although he knew Xander was right. He had spent an entire morning setting up the training room and hadn't come across anything that would be helpful in their dire situation. When a gust of heat suddenly assaulted the back of his neck, he twisted at the waist to find flames enveloping the kitchen table and chairs. Thick, black smoke radiated outwards as the fire crackled and spat venomously. He swiftly closed the door to the basement and ushered the others down the stairs.

"What are we gonna do?!" Xander's eyes were wide, still searching the room for a saving grace.  
Giles took a deep breath to calm himself, his voice adopting its usual relaxed tone in an effort to pacify the others. "There is an extinguisher in the closet on the other side of the kitchen. If we can reach that-"  
"The other side of the kitchen?!" The younger man interrupted him, his voice high pitched. "As in, not only walking through fire but also passing the kitchen doorway. The one in which the very angry vampire can throw things through?!"  
Giles removed his glasses. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple. "Well, yes. That's why I was hesitant to get it."

"I-I have an idea…" Willow spoke cautiously, uncertainty etched across her features. "Maybe I can do a spell. I won't be able to control the fire- I've messed that up before- but I know I can close and block the door. And m-maybe I can bust the kitchen sink and help with some of the fire blocking the way?"  
"That would certainly help… Are you sure you're capable of it?" Giles didn't want to insult the young witch, but he also knew she was new to practising magic and had a tendency to try spells above her level. A dangerous combination he had been all too familiar with in his younger days.  
Willow nodded. "I think so."  
The Watcher replaced his glasses resolutely. "All right."

The plan was rapidly in motion. With the basement door ajar, Willow stared at the sink as the tap began to rattle and splutter. Soon the metal burst off completely, carried by highly pressurised water that flowed multiple feet upwards and out across the room.

"What do you lot think you're doing?" Damon's words echoed through the house, taunting and quickening their heart rates.

While the water began quenching the fire in front of them, the kitchen door slammed closed. As soon as it did, Xander sprinted forwards and had his hands on the extinguisher within seconds. He quickly began spraying the flames the water did not reach and after a moment of hasty, clumsy movement, the kitchen was fire-free. He returned to the others but before they could exchange words they were interrupted by a commotion outside.

* * *

"Stefan, put out the fire!" Buffy's command followed a kick to the chest that had sent Damon flying off the porch steps and several metres across the lawn.

The older Salvatore brother was back on his feet in seconds. "First you kill my only human friend then you leave yours alone to burn to death? Some 'Vampire Slayer' you are." His muscular frame rushed her, anger burning in his eyes although his facial expression only displayed derision. His hands curled into fists en route, which sliced through the air to land numerous blows to her jaw, cheeks and stomach before she could block them. There were several terrifyingly loud thumps and crunching sounds each time his calloused knuckles made contact with her small frame. He continued relentlessly laying into the teen, at one point grabbing her by the throat and sending her flying against the side wall of the house with a force so strong that fragments of brick splintered out around her.

Buffy soon recovered and began avoiding his blows, however. Forearms blocking the path of the hits she could not dodge, she skillfully let his frustration build and distract him before dealing damage back. The strength in her movements caught him off guard, each punch to the face dizzying him. Her knee sprang up and made a swift, crippling blow to his upper abdomen, causing him to lose his breath and hunch over while stumbling backwards unsteadily. The Slayer used this opportunity to tackle him to the ground, her shoulder smashing into his chest and forcing him down. Pinning him to the earth, she instinctively reached inside her leather jacket and retrieved a wooden stake. Her hand gripped it tightly, knuckles white as the tip of the weapon hovered inches above Damon's chest. Then she froze.

A smirk resurfaced on the older Salvatore's face, despite the blood flowing down his cheeks from the cuts Buffy's fists had made. "What's wrong, hero? Cat got your blood lust?" He instantly took advantage of her hesitancy, his forehead shooting up to crack against hers. He then thrust himself sideways, knocking her off and rolling over until she was trapped beneath him. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this..." Damon flashed his fangs as his wild blue eyes darkened.

During the fight, Stefan had spotted an outdoor tap at the back of the house. Unravelling the hose wrapped around it, he quickly attached it and turned the water on full blast before directing the flow at the front porch and hallway in an effort to contain the fire. As he did, he saw Buffy's friends open the kitchen door and peep out cautiously. "Is everyone okay? Do you need this?" He held up the hose as an offering but the others shook their heads. The younger Salvatore recognised the fear in each of their eyes. It was a sight that reverberated in the darkest parts of his soul, enticing the contained monster within him, triggering memories that still left him sick with remorse. He clung onto those painful emotions, forcing the nefarious aspects of his being back while letting compassion guide his actions. "I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help."  
A flame flickered in his peripheral vision, grabbing his attention. He tried to aim the water down the hall and to the left but could not get the correct angle. "The living room! I can't reach it." He quickly added, "I'm not asking to be invited in. I'm going to throw the hose down the hall. One of you will have to put out the fire." As soon as he did this, a screeching noise separate from the ongoing fight behind him grabbed his attention. He turned to see Caroline's car pull up, relief befalling him as he spotted who was sitting half-slumped in the passenger seat. His gaze then shifted across the garden as he noticed his brother on top of Buffy, face buried in the crook of her neck. "Damon, don't!"

"Damon!" Alaric's voice caused Damon to stall, his fangs having just pierced into the Slayer's flesh. The fatigued man tried to stand up straight as he closed the car door behind him. "Damon, stop."

Instinct now returning to Buffy's previously paralysed body, she pushed against the vampire's chest, knocking him off her. Scrambling up off the ground, her gaze was fixed on the man whose interruption had just saved her, all the while her face paled as if she had just spotted a ghost.

A cataclysm of emotions erupted behind Damon's eyes. His vampiric features gradually faded as he gathered himself up and faced his friend. His countenance reflected the internal conflict dwelling within him. Fear and grief dissolved, relief replacing them as it struggled alongside anger, pain and animalistic thirst in his mind. He had decided to seek vengeance regardless of whether the ring worked or not- but was indescribably happy it had. This fact only slightly placated the slimmest edge of his rage, however. After a few seconds, he greeted the other man with a simple, guttural "Rick", as his voice got caught in his throat.  
Alaric carefully approached his friend, attempting to hide how battered he felt. He knew how volatile Damon could be and was fearful of anything that could set him off again. "I don't know about you but I could do with a drink..."

Stefan used the distraction to approach the Slayer, who was still frozen in place with her eyes glued to the man she had killed. "Buffy," he whispered gently, "go inside."  
Her wide eyes shifted from Alaric to the younger Salvatore brother, her mind taking a few seconds to comprehend what he had said. She then moved her attention towards the house, spotting her friends standing safely inside with apprehensive looks on their faces. The blonde turned to the man who had helped her save them, unable to muster any thanks apart from a silent, appreciative nod. That was when Stefan noticed the blood drenching her neck and shirt, its excruciatingly heady aroma invading his senses. Veins dilated under his eyes, his gaze fixed on the deep red, enticing substance still oozing from the puncture wounds in her throat. His entire body tensed, his muscles urging him to advance and feed. _Slayer blood, it will be worth it._ He fought back his darkening thoughts and spoke through clenched teeth, his fangs making the task even more arduous. "Go. Now."  
The change in Stefan and threat behind his words did not go unnoticed by Buffy. She abruptly turned away and took quick, long strides until she was across the threshold and inside with the others.

Elena had gotten out of the back of the car with Bonnie, both of them standing behind Alaric, unsure if he was steady on his feet yet. Everybody's attention was consumed with Damon but Elena's eyes had wandered and witnessed Stefan's exchange with Buffy. Concern filled her gaze as she watched him struggle to control his blood-thirst, even after Buffy had reached the house. When his eyes eventually met hers, shame replaced the hunger in them as he swiftly faced away.

Alaric gave Damon a small, wry smile. "Forget this. Let's go get that bottle you owe me." He was hoping a night of drinks would be enough to distract him from his warpath. At least for now.  
The older Salvatore hesitated. He appeared to be lost in the depths of conflict of his racing thoughts. After a silent, tense moment he glanced around to find Buffy had moved inside. He narrowed his eyes on her before looking back to Alaric and speaking buoyantly. "You know what, Rick? You're right! I can always kill her tomorrow." The threat in those last few words was not idle and all those present knew this. "Caroline! Designated driver. No whining."

The teen automatically opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself. Turning to get back inside her car, she paused to shoot the others a look that conveyed 'you owe me'.


End file.
